[emptysongglass]

You don't even need to discuss billionaires though to get some very bad effects. Take Denmark for example that taxes software engineers 50 percent of their salary (it's not unique to SWEs it's just because nearly all SWEs will make enough to fall into this bracket). I'm thoroughly examining other lower tax bracket countries to move to because why do I want to pay half of my salary until I am enfeebled and the state lets me enjoy my enfeeblement?

Let's macrosize the perspective: why do you think Unity moved HQ from DK to the USA? Could it be the crushing taxes here?

This is the issue. You really can't have it both ways. Yet many Americans love to fetishize a hatred for few very specific individuals without thinking through the whole causal chain that girds their economy.

[Johnny555]

Take Denmark for example that taxes software engineers 50 percent of their salary (it's not unique to SWEs it's just because nearly all SWEs will make enough to fall into this bracket). I'm thoroughly examining other lower tax bracket countries to move to because why do I want to pay half of my salary until I am enfeebled and the state lets me enjoy my enfeeblement?

Denmark consistently ranks in the top 5 of countries with the best quality of life. A year of parental leave, great social welfare, universal healthcare and retirement benefits, etc.

Including federal/state/local taxes, healthcare premiums, retirement contributions, disability insurance, etc, I pay close to 50% of my salary in the USA

And I'd still worry about how I'll pay the bills if I lost my job.

why do I want to pay half of my salary until I am enfeebled and the state lets me enjoy my enfeeblement?

Because that's how the state pays for the enfeebled today? Are you really suggesting you want to leave Denmark to go somewhere with lower tax rates, then when you need social healthcare, you'll move back to Denmark and take advantage of the healthcare system that you didn't pay for?

[yardstick]

> Are you really suggesting you want to leave Denmark to go somewhere with lower tax rates, then when you need social healthcare, you'll move back to Denmark and take advantage of the healthcare system that you didn't pay for?

Isn’t that the point of their healthcare/retirement system? It’s socialist, not user pays. That it covers everyone irrespective of their tax contributions. Otherwise it would exclude the unemployed, students, disabled, low income (untaxed) people (esp housewife/househusbands) etc.

[Johnny555]

Isn’t that the point of their healthcare/retirement system

I don't think "Encourage people to move out of the country during the working years and move back to the country when they are old and need expensive healthcare coverage" is the point.

It may be the result of their system, but it's not the point. But if it became a problem, they could require that you buy back into the system after an extended absence out of the country.

[yardstick]

> they could require that you buy back into the system after an extended absence out of the country.

And if you can’t buy back in? Won and lost your fortune overseas (or never won at all and remained poor all your life) and returned “home” destitute? What then?